When I reported progress, I was speaking on the housing problem generally, and paying tribute to the engineering staffs and others who work under the control of the various county councils throughout the length and breadth of the country. I feel that any words I might utter here tonight would be wholly inadequate to convey not only my own personal feeling and my own personal respect in regard to the amount of work these people have done, but also the feeling of my constituents.
I know that many can be critical of the people in the £2,000 income bracket. It is easy to pass glib remarks or comments about our staffs and officials either at local authority level or in the Department, but I certainly appreciate that in this day and age we have with us in our office in Mayo County Council engineers and staff of the highest integrity. I do not say this lightly as I have had experience of them for 25 years. I have seen them come and go. I have heard thrown lightly around words like "corruption" and "bribery", but I am proud to put on the records of this House that I know of no such happenings in my part of the country.
We have in our county engineer a man of the highest integrity, a man who on many occasions disagrees with us, the elected representatives, at county council level, but we have to bear in mind that he and his staff have many difficulties and many problems, not the least of which is the big mileage of roads, to which I have already referred, and the housing problems and many other problems that confront them. We should bear in mind— and I certainly do—that the people who man these offices and who are our technical advisers, are the sheet anchor of any development plans we may have in hand in relation to roads, sewerage schemes, water schemes and anything else.
From time to time people from the USA, from England and elsewhere tell us—but perhaps they are not telling us the truth—what can be done when you pass money around. Whether we have a Fianna Fáil Government or any other Government in office, it is grand to think that we have dependable people, people in whom we can place our confidence, people who are tried and tested, on our staffs. I want to go on the records of this House in saying that no man is more proud than I am that we have such people in Mayo from the top down to the most junior official, and in the Department of Local Government as well. It is very easy to throw out these hints which may be swallowed at the crossroads, but the people who throw out these hints and suggestions and remarks usually find it is unprofitable to do so. If a thing is true by all means let us say it, but we should be able to stand over it.
I should now like to pass on to another matter to which I think we should pay more attention. If we have no other responsibility, we have an administrative responsibility to put up road signs. The county council staffs put up road signs to indicate where there are beauty spots and so forth. We are somewhat lacking in this regard in County Mayo and I feel this very much because in the course of my work, I travelled around quite a lot, and although we may think we are familiar with a particular area, there are certain abbeys and old monasteries and public buildings we would like to visit on our journeys, and perhaps show to our wives and children or to people who cannot always get around on their own, and the signposting of these historic places is of the greatest importance.
It was my privilege in my time to travel through a number of European countries from the south to the north as far as Finland. That was ten or 11 years ago. In many cases I did not know the language but when I saw the signposts, I inquired what they indicated. Perhaps before I left the place I parted with a few pounds or a few dollars but because of the signposts I went to see what it was like. In this country we have many old and historic places which should be better signposted. There is urgent need in County Mayo for signposting.
Courthouses were mentioned by Deputy P. O'Donnell and other Deputies. I suppose Deputy O'Donnell is familiar with the problems of courthouses by reason of his law practice. My only association with them is to read in the local papers, perhaps, that some district justice or someone else "kicked up a shine" because of lack of heating, or the poor condition of the building generally. I am sure the Minister will appreciate that when litigants in rural areas cycle or motor in to the courthouse when a case is being heard before a district justice or a High Court judge, they should find that the courthouse has been brought up to presentday standards. In that regard much remains to be done. I know some of them which would need, to use a slang term, a "once-over" to improve the heating and seating. Perhaps a little paint would also improve them. Because this was referred to already, I think I have said enough on the subject.
On the question of derating, I know many people who have benefited in some cases by £1 or £2, in some cases by £15 or £20, and in other cases by greater amounts, as a result of the derating of agricultural land. I live in a rural area and what I have said now, generally speaking, would be stating the position truthfully and honestly as I know it. Some people have gained £1 or £2 and others have gained £15 or £20. In the time that lies ahead we in Mayo County Council will be facing, probably in the month of March, a rates estimate in which we must examine the overall position in relation to the different services administered by the county council. We are definitely facing an increase of something in the region of 7/- to 10/- in the £ in rates. That is a serious burden on people who have a big problem in trying to keep going, provide the necessaries of life and educate their children.
A section of the community for whom I have great sympathy comprises those who live in small towns and villages, towns of 500 or fewer up to those with 1,000 or 5,000 or more. These people have not gained as a result of derating but they are certainly worthy of sympathy and support here. Perhaps five or 15 years ago the bread-winner was engaged in a small business in Charlestown, Swinford, Foxford or some such town. He may have died and the business may have suffered in consequence. He may have been in the confectionery line or something similar; he may have been a tradesman, a joiner, or something like that. I know small towns, as I have canvassed them like others engaged in politics, and you find those poor people suffering in silence, doing their best. The widow may even provide for her children the food she would need herself for her own health. These people deserve our consideration.
I appreciate that it is a big task for any Minister or Department to go into all these matters and separate the wheat from the chaff. No matter how well-intentioned a Minister or Department may be, in view of all the difficulties, it would take time to assess the real extent of the problem. In many rural towns in the West, you have a situation in which, due to rural depopulation perhaps because of reasons I have mentioned or the fact that the breadwinner has died, large families have to face the cold winter days, try to provide fuel, light and food and other necessaries and also meet a rates demand which is a heavy burden.
I do not think the present Minister would like to evict any people from their homes or throw them out on a side street: that is not in his breed. Although compliments have not been paid to him, I am sure that if money were available to him, he would like to consider that section of the community. Recently, it seems to me, the country's economy has improved sufficiently to enable us to give consideration in some way to these people as regards relieving their rates burden. Coming from a family of smallholders myself, I appreciate that in a rural area there is some means of keeping a fire going on a winter's day—perhaps an old ash tree that can be cut down or something to keep a fire on the hearth —but in a side street in a town like Ballina, or Swinford or even Dublin for that matter, it may be a difficult matter.
I appeal to the Minister to remember those sections of the people in the matter of derating as he has remembered the smallholders. There are many widows and children involved; they are the less privileged classes to whom we should try to bring relief and try to assess the situation as far as they are concerned. The rates burden in my county and, I am sure, in many others, is a particularly serious burden for them.
